Being a parent during the summer can feel like an impossible feat! After all, grown-up responsibilities don’t end when the last school bell rings. It can be tempting to allow “just one more episode” to turn into hours in front of the TV. For many of us, the chaos of the modern-day has us yearning for the days when summer was simple and meant bare feet in the backyard and chasing fireflies at dusk.
The good news? Creating a season of fond magical memories for your kiddos doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune on Pinterest-level projects. Here are a few of our favorite *easy* DIY play ideas for some screen-free summer magic!
1. Raid the Closet for a Backyard Show
Lights, camera, action! Kids are born entertainers, and when you bolster that creativity with the promise of a captivated audience, their love of imaginative play will continue to grow. Encourage your kids to create a character, a scene, an entire story. Let them pull costumes from their own closets and watch as the simplest things inspire their storytelling.
An Octopus Party Relaxed Tee could spark a tale of perilous underwater adventure and a Doodle Blooms Tiered Flutter Dress can easily transform into a Fairy Queen’s ball gown! Little ones will enjoy being included in the pretend and make-believe, while older kiddos might script their own performance and make tickets for their audience! (Yes, you’re invited.)
Turn your patio into a stage, complete with a Cloud Blanket curtain and a line of outdoor chairs for the crowd. Then, stand back, relax, and watch as their Backyard Broadway performance boosts their creativity and confidence all in one.
2. Just Add Water!
When my twins were newborns, I was given a piece of advice that I’m sure many of us have heard before: “When they won’t stop crying, take them outside or put them in water.” Four years and many grumpy moments later, I’m happy to report that this advice still rings true and can tame even the crankiest little one!
As a mom and an early-childhood professional, water is actually one of my favorite open-ended “toys” for children of all ages. It’s a multifaceted sensory experience. Add soap to make bubbles! Add ice and it’s a frozen tundra! Mix it with food coloring and freeze for a chilly ice painting experience on a sunny summer day! Even just a bucket of water and a few cups work wonders at keeping your littles cool and happy (and away from the TV!) in the summer heat.
3. Build an Outdoor Mud Kitchen
A mud kitchen is truly the pinnacle of childhood charm! Where you might see just an old table and a handful of thrifted kitchenware, a bored child sees endless opportunity and the chance to create the next Michelin starred “restaurant” — right in their own backyard.
Kids will have a blast mixing up stews, soups, and the most delicious “pies” that you’ll never eat. Flowers, leaves, or old kitchen spices add flair to their outdoor culinary creations and level up every dish. Take a deep breath, let go of the mess and let them go wild as you revel in the joy of a screen-free day in the sunshine!
4. Make a Cardboard Creation Station
As the saying goes… “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!” Turn that pesky pile of recycling into an opportunity for open-ended creative play with a kid-friendly Cardboard Creation Station. Stock their space with tape, safety scissors, glue and markers, then sit back and watch in amazement as that old cardboard box transforms into a rocketship, a race car, a robot…the possibilities are truly endless.
Even the smallest of the bunch can plop into a box and color while their older siblings set out to build an entire neighborhood out of boxes. Bonus? Using sturdy cardboard for their creations means that it’ll hold up for as long as they need–and won’t end up in a landfill when the fun is through. Simply create, enjoy, and recycle!
5. Grow-Your-Own (Entertainment!)
There’s nothing quite like the magic of the garden! Kids of all ages are often captivated by the miracle of planting a seed and watching it transform into a fully grown plant. These same curious kiddos are *also* apt to Hulk-smash through a carefully maintained vegetable patch without regard for Mom’s heirloom tomatoes. (Ask me how I know!)
To combat the chaos, pile your crew into the car and head to the nearest hardware store (or dollar store!) to grab supplies for a garden of their very own! It can be as large or small as your space allows, whether it’s a full plot or just a few pots. No matter the size, your kids will go absolutely wild for a gardening space where they can truly experience the miracle of growing things without limitations.
(Pro tip: Even in larger spaces, go for “container” variety plants and seeds. They stay compact and usually offer a quicker payoff in the form of faster growth and earlier harvests!)
Let kids add their own artistic flair to their garden with painted rocks and stepping stones, or hide fairy houses between the plants for an extra dose of whimsy. And who knows, maybe nurturing a tomato plant for months will actually lead your kids to eating that tomato in a form other than ketchup!
6. No Grown-Ups Allowed: Build a Fort (And Leave It Up!)
If you’re trying to encourage your kids to create, explore, and spend their days outdoors, a summer fort is just the ticket! There’s something kind of magical about a “no grown-ups allowed” space where they can snack, read, or just be themselves.
Pitch a tent in the yard or build a backyard base for your kids — and leave it up no matter how chaotic it may look. Up the ante with string lights or fairy decor and watch as their simple fort transforms into a dragon lair, a witch’s cottage, or a fairy house right before their eyes! As the summer marches on, if there ever comes a moment where it’s just a little *too* quiet, be sure to check the fort! You never know when someone may have gotten comfortable enough to sneak into their hideaway and catch some midday summer zzz’s…
Slow Down the Summer
Raising a family in the chaos of modern day doesn’t mean we can’t hit rewind and bring back the slowed-down summers of our youth. Though it might feel otherwise, kids don’t need packed schedules or Pinterest-perfect activities to make lasting memories. In fact, it’s in those moments of boredom where they are truly free to dig into what makes childhood truly magic: creation and imagination.
Even more important than kids unplugging from technology? Watching their parents do it, too. Step away from the screens when you can and embrace the (sometimes chaotic) magic of an old-school summer. Let them get messy and explore.
Then, sit back and breathe in the smell of summer — just sunscreen, popsicles, and endless possibilities.
Have your own brilliant ways to create summer magic and memories? Share them in the comments for your chance to win a $50 Little Sleepies Gift Card! We pick a lucky winner each month… will you be next?
